Ulster ground hosting grand golf contest (8)
I believe the answer is:
struggle
'contest' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'ulster ground hosting grand golf' is the wordplay.
'ground' indicates anagramming the letters ('grind' the letters into a new form).
'hosting' indicates putting letters inside (inserted letters are welcomed in or hosted).
'grand' becomes 'g' (G is short for grand as in a thousand).
'golf' becomes 'g' (phonetic alphabet: alpha, bravo, charlie etc.).
'ulster' with letters rearranged gives 'strule'.
'g'+'g'='gg'
'strule' placed around 'gg' is 'STRUGGLE'.
(Other definitions for struggle that I've seen before include "Laboured effort" , "Proceed with great effort" , "Contend with difficulty" , "Uphill battle" , "Try hard to get free - labour" .)